Thousands of stone quarries in Kerala are adding to environmental woes

Study reports have confirmed that the state has 5924 functioning stone quarries, but only 529 have obtained permission from the state's mining department.

The indiscriminate functioning of stone quarries in geologically vulnerable areas of Kerala is a primary anthropogenic reason, which can trigger landslides like the ones in the hill district of Wayanad last week.

The landslides in Wayanad have killed over 350 people and rendered 6,759 people homeless. (ANI Photo) (ANI )

The landslides in Wayanad have killed over 350 people and rendered 6,759 people homeless.

The landslides at Chooralmala and Mundakkai occurred at a time when the local Meppadi grama panchayat was actively considering permission for two new quarries in highly vulnerable areas close to affected hill villages.

Public protests have been held against the Meppadi panchayat authorities for disregarding complaints against functioning quarries at Nellimunda and Valathoor, which are also located on the same vulnerable mountain slopes forming part of the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats.

Recent study reports have confirmed that the state has 5924 functioning stone quarries, but only 529 have obtained mandatory permission from the state's mining and geology department. According to existing rules, quarries operating without the department's permission are illegal.

A study by scientists at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) revealed that between 1983 and 2015, the state experienced 115 large-scale landslides, with 78 occurring in areas with stone quarries operating within a one-kilometre radius.

The process of creating quarries typically involves removing the soil's top layer, which negatively impacts its capacity to absorb water naturally and may result in mudslides and landslides.

Despite a recommendation from the state assembly's panel on environmental affairs to develop a comprehensive mining policy that strictly adheres to guidelines from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court, the state government has yet to act on the suggestions.

The panel has suggested replacing the current practice of granting quarry operation licences to individuals with stricter government oversight.

Now, after the latest instances of landslides, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has notified the Kerala government that 49.7% of the state (19,301 sq km) is prone to landslides.

Additionally, the state-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) grants new quarries environmental clearances (EC). In just two and a half months, up to mid-March of this year, the SEIAA issued ECs to 30 building stone quarries.

According to government data, there are 529 active building stone quarries in Kerala, with 416 operating under leases that allow quarrying for up to 12 years. Most active quarries are located in the northern districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Palakkad, making up 58% of the total quarries.

The construction sector in Kerala imports building stones from other states and uses stones from functional quarries. In 2021–22 alone, 395,803 new buildings were constructed in the state, compared to 389,544 new buildings in 2016–17.

``Imposing substantial taxes on large concrete structures could discourage the excessive use of natural resources. Currently, building permits are issued based on factors like floor area ratio and infrastructure amenities rather than the raw materials used. Although a democratic government may not directly restrict construction activities, it could implement heavy taxes on structures that use large quantities of raw materials to limit the exploitation of resources,'' said J Devika, a faculty with the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram.

A survey conducted by two scientists from the KFRI in 2023 identified 33 stone quarries within a 10-kilometre radius of Kavalappara, a highly sensitive portion of the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. This area was the site of a massive landslide on August 8, 2019, which resulted in the death of 59 people. Satellite images of the area clearly illustrate that the disaster's impact was exacerbated by changes to the landscape caused by quarries, which made the hills unstable.

V. Sajeev, who heads the forest health division at KFRI, said authorities had allowed quarry operations in the area without conducting any environmental impact study.

A KFRI team, including scientists T.J. Alex and Sajeev, submitted a report to the state government four years ago, strongly recommending advanced studies before permitting mining in environmentally sensitive areas of the Western Ghats.

Sajeev emphasised the importance of mining for construction activities but that it must not come at the expense of the people's environment, lives, livelihoods, and safety.

The state, however, has yet to address the issue of uncontrolled quarrying and its impact on forests, the environment, and livelihoods.

"Between 1983 and 2023, the state experienced 172 large-scale landslides, with 78 occurring within a one-kilometre radius of functioning stone quarries. These quarries are removing surface-level soil, disrupting the natural absorption of water, and contributing to mudslides and landslides,'' said N Badusha, president of Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithy, an environmental organisation.

He said that quarries and an underground water erosion phenomenon called 'soil piping' pose major threats to Kerala's hill regions.

Despite this, the government has made controversial decisions regarding quarrying activities, such as excluding 4,000 square kilometres of land from a law banning quarrying in ecologically sensitive areas and permitting quarrying in agricultural lands designated to private individuals.

Environmentalists remain sceptical despite the government's claims that no quarry has been approved in flood-hit and ecologically sensitive areas.

Quarry operators have opposed the NGT’s directive to allow stone quarrying only at specified distances from residential and public areas, resulting in a high court-issued stay.

The NGT has criticised the state government's decision to permit quarries at a distance of 50 metres from habitations, stating that it could harm the environment and public health. As a result, the Kerala Assembly's environmental panel has called for a comprehensive mining policy to bring all existing quarries under government control. The committee has also urged the Central Pollution Control Board to impose more stringent conditions for quarry operations, particularly regarding the distance from human settlements and environmentally fragile forest areas.

“Despite the grim situation, the state government and its enforcement agencies have ignored the quarries' blatant violations. The government should promptly accept the legislature panel's recommendations and bring all quarries under government control," said environmental activist Vinod Payyada.